Automobile frame straightener



June 17, 1930.v 1 KlCHERER ET AL lAUTOMOBILE: FRAME STRAGHTENER Filed June 20. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A M WZIIE==== ull.

June 17, 1930. V v H, J, K|C||ERER Er AL 1,764,8404

AUTOMOBILE FRAME STRAIGHTENER Filed June 20, 1928 2 Sheets-SheetY 2 Patented June `17, 1930 UNITED* STATES PATENT ovFFi'cE HARRY J'. KICI-IERER AND R. B. NILES, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNORS TO MARQUETTE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA AUTOMOBILE STRAIGHTENER Application md nine 2o, ieee. i sei-iai no. 256,823.

The object oi our invention is to provide rthe body of the automobile during straight- Y a straightening device especially adapted forfening operaticnon the frame.

the frames of automobiles, the device itself `liVith these and other objects in view our being of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction. y Y

` A `iurtlier ob3ect is to provide a device of this character so constructed that it `is light and can thereby be easily handled `for the purpose'oi' straightening automobile frames i w and yet -is strong enough to withstand the strain resulting when straightening frames oi ditlerentkinds. i f

Stilll a fui-ther object is to provide a straigliteiiing device in which pressure bars and hook arms are provided which areread'- ily `adjustable Ito frames ot' various sizes and for bends of various lengths occurring in the automobile frame. l f

Still a further object is to provide the pressure bars and hook arms arranged to be actuated in opposite directions whereby both` in- Wardlyand outwardly bent parts of Vthe frame maybe brought back into the original shape'.

More-particularly it is our object to provide a device of the character herein disclosed consistii'ig of a main frame oiibar like construction having a central engaging head mounted for adjustment toward or away from the bar and having end engaging heads adapted to'be adj ustedto positions at various distances from the central engaging head.

Another object is to provide hook arms on each of the pressure bars which are slidably mounted longitudinally on the pressure bars wherebytheymaybe adjustedfor automobile 'l'raines of diil'er'ent widths and to further provide novel means for V adjustingfthe hook arms on the endengaging heads to eX- tend dilieren't distances from the pressure bars included inthe end engagingheads.i j Y In the construction of affrainestraightener as we have herein disclosed, we have endeavored to, design a device which will efficiently o remove twists and bends,` from automobile 'frames without the necessityof heatingthe frame before bending it back intoshape.

lt has been ouriiurther. object to design the straightener in such compact form that itis unnecessary to 4remove'either the motorl invention consistsin the construction, arrangement aud combination of thevarious partsof our device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more i'ully set forth, pointed out in our claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingI drawings, in which i i i Figure l is a 'plan view of our frame straightenerillustrating it in use on asection of an automobile frame.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2&2 of Figure l. i

Figure 3 is an end view of the entire device illustrated in vFigure l, showing it turned a quarter turn and in the position it assumes when being connected to an automobile frame for straightening the same.'

VFigure 4 is an enlarged sectional view on the linea-JL` of Figure l.

Figure 5 vis an enlargedv sectional view 'on the line 5-5 of Figure l. f

Figure G is a sectional view 6-6 oi' Figure 5 ,and

Figure 7 is a sectional view on the line 7eof Figure 5, omitting the hook arm.

On the accompanying drawings, we have used the reference character A to indicate generally a main frame. VA central engaging head Band end engaging heads C are m0unton the, line ved on the frame A.v l The .traine A consists of a center casting l() having arpairof side bars l2 secured thereto by means of bolts lll. The barsA l2 are arranged in parallel relation to eachV other. The outer ends of the bars l2 are held assembled together by bolts or rivets 16. Spacer sleeves 18 `are positioned on the rivets 16 betweenV the bars 12. i

I. Thelcentral casting lOlis provided with an internally screw threadedbore-20. A

threaded rod 22 extends throughthe bore 2O and swivelly supports the centralengaging head B upon'its lower end. Y The upper endlof the rod 22 is provided with ahead 24 andan operating handle 26. l i The central engaging head B consists o a pressure bar 28 having hook arms 30 slid,

ably mounted thereon. The hook arms may be maintained in any of their adjusted positions relative to the pressure bar 28 by means of set screws rlhe pressure bar 28 is connected to the rod 22 by means of a member 34 formed in twohalves as clearly illustrated in Figure 4 of the'drawings. The member 84 is secured to the pressure bar 28 by means ot bolts 86 which in addition to serving the purpose of connecting the pressure bar 28 and the member 84, serve to hold the two halves of the member together,

A bore 38 is formed in the member 34 and terminates in an enlarged socket 40. The threaded rod 22 is provided with a. reduced portion to lit the bore 38 and has a head 44 to tit the socket 40. From the construction of the parts just described, it will be obvious that when the two halves of the member 34 are assembled together with the portions 42 and 44 of the rod 22 in position, the pressure bar 28 is swivelly mounted relative to the rod 22.

Each end engaging member Ccomprises a head 46 mounted between the bars l2. The' head 46 is provided with an opening through which a pin 48 extends. The pin 48 may extend selectively through openings 5() formed in the bars l2 as clearly illustrated in Figure l of the drawings. Thus the end engaging member C maybe adjusted toward or away from the central engaging member B as desired.

The head 46 of each end engaging member C is provided with an extension 52 terminating in a box like transverse portion 54. An arm 56 similar to theV extension 52 and having a bonY like transverse portion 58 similar to the portion 54, is bolted to the portion 54 by bolts 60. To Vinsure properalignn'ient of the portions 54 and 58, we provide a tongue and groove connection indicated at 58 and 57 in Figure 6. When the twoportions 54 and 58 are together they form a channel D closed on all four sides and extending longitudinally relative to t-he members 54 and 58 as clearly illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings.V The members 54 and 58 constitute a pressure bar for the same purpose for which the pressure bar 28 is provided.

Slidably mounted in the channels Djarey hook arm supporting members 62. The members 62 are providedawith bosses 64 adapted to receive the bolts 60 and the bolts 60 extend through slots 66 formed lin vthe* two portions 54 and 58 of the pressure bar. r

Fromthe construction of the parts just described, it will Vbe obvious that the bolts 60 which hold the portions 54 and 58 together, may be loosened whereupon the members 62 may be slid toward or awa-y .from each other as desired, whereuponV the bolts 60 may be tightened for preventing.' further sliding movement of the members-62. Y

Each member 62k is internally provided with annular grooves 68. The grooves 68 are spaced from each other at regular intervals and are cut away as indicated at 70 for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Hook arms 7 2 are mounted in the members 62 and are provided with annular portions 7 4 which extend only part way around their circ-uin- 'erence as clearly shown in Figure 6.

The projections 7 4, when the hook arm 7 2 is rot-ated to the position shown in the left half of Figure 6, may slide through the member 62 to any position with respect to the member 62. It can then be rotated in either direction to position shown in the right halt Vof Figure 6 whereby the projections 74 enter vthe grooves 68 and the hook arm 72 is thereafter prevented from longitudinal movement.

In the manner just described, the hook arm 72 may be adjusted as desired independent of the adjustment of the member 62 relative to the portions 54 and 58 of the end engaging members C.

The hook arms T2 are provided with slots 7 8 and the members 62 are provided with 'openings 80`through which a bolt 82 may extend as illustrated in Figure 6. By using the bolt 82, an additional anchoring means over the bolt 60 is provided and the bolt 82 also prevents the hook arm 72 from turning and possiblyturning to such a position thatit can slide longitudinally relative to the meinber 62. However, we have found that the bolt 82 needs to be used only on eXtra-heavy duty work.

Practica/Z operation Y As illust-rated in Figure l of the drawings, a bent automobile frame E may be straightened to the position illustrated in dotted lines by positioning our straightening device as illustrated with the engaging heads C pressing against the outside ot' the frame and the.

hook arms 30 having their hook portions 3l engaging the frame E. The operating handle 26 may then be manipulated by the operator for rotating the screw 22 to move in the direction of the arrow 84 whereby the frame E will be brought to a straightened position as shown in dotted lines.

`The frame, of course, would have to be bent a little past its straight position so that when it is sprung back after the pressure of the straightening device is released, it will then assume a straight position. The amount ot over-operation can be judged by anyone `skilled in straightening a frame by our device. Llhen it is desired to bend the frame E in an opposite directionas for instance, when the central part is bowed outwardly instead of inwardly, the hook portions 73 of the end engaging heads C are caused to engage the vinside of the frame and the pressure bar 28 engages the outside of the frame as indicated at F and G in Figure 8. The screw 22 j them, agreat dealot theVw-orlr being done `while the body and motor remain upon the automobile trame.

Various combinations may be worked out with the parts of our device for handling straightening jobs of different characters.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of our device, without departing from the real spirit and purpose of'our invention, and it is our intention to cover by our claims, any modiied forms otstructure or use ot' mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim as our invention:

l. A device of the character disclosed comprising a main frame, an Vengaging head longitudinally adjustable with respect thereto and including a pressure bar, a pair ot hook arm supports longitudinally adjustable on said pressure bar, hoolr arms slidably mounted with respect to said supports and bolt means for clamping said supports and hook arms in stationary position relative to said pressure bar. y j 2. A device of the character disclosed comprising a main frame, an engaging head thereon and including apressure bar, a pair of hook arm supports longitudinally adjustable on said pressure bar, hook arms slidably mounted with respect to said supports and common bolt means for clamping said supports and hook arms in stationary position relative to said pressure bar. j

8. A device of the character disclosed comprising a main frame, an engaging head thereon and including a pressure bar, a pair of hook arm supports longitudinally adjustable on said pressure bar, hook arms slidably mounted with respect to said supports, said supports being internally provided with spaced annular grooves and said hook arms beingexteinally provided with spaced an- .frameL prevent suchsliding when the hook arms are rotated to another position. i

5. In a device of the class described, amain fram-e, an engaging head thereon including a pressure bar, a hook arm supporting inember longitudinally adjustable relative to said pressure bar, said memberl having a bore therein, a hook arm in said bore, annular groove and'rib means 1n said member and on said arm whereby the arm maybe main- V tained in any adjusted position relative to the member and cutaway portions in said grooves vand projections to allow sliding movement of the arm relative to the member.

6. In a straightening device, a center member, a pair of parallel bars secured thereto to form a main frame, a central engaging head including a rod screw threaded in said center member and a pressure bar swivelly mounted on said rod, apair of end engaging heads mounted between said parallel frame bars and including pressure bars having hook arm, supporting members longitudinally adjustable on said pressure bars and hook arms rotatably and slidably mounted in said supporting members but prevented from slid-V j to a preing movement therein when rotated determined position.

7. An engaging head comprising a pressure bar, a hook arm supporting member and a hook arm rotatably and slidably mounted in said supporting member but prevented `from sliding movement therein when rotated to a predetermined position.

8. In a straightening device, a main frame member, end engaging heads thereon and a central engaging head thereon comprising a pressure bar, a pair of hook arms longitudinally Vslidable thereon, a` connecting member formed of two parts bolted to opposite sides of said pressure bar, a socket in said two parts and a screw having a head swivelly mounted in said socket and screw threadedly mounted with respect to said main HARRY J, Kioimnmi. it. B. nimes.

nular projections to coactwith said grooves. r

1- A device of the character disclosed` comprising a main frame, lan engaging head 'tliereonand includinga pressure bar, a pair ot hook arm` supports longtiudinally a'djustable on said pressure` bar,hook arms slidably mounted with respect to said supports,

said supports being internally provided with Y spaced annular grooves and said hook arms being externally provided with spaced annular projections to coact with said grooves,

said grooves and projectionsbeing partially `iris isa). 

